College football rankings: Week 9, 2018

By Kevin Kelley -

College football rankings for week 9 have been released. Alabama remains the top-ranked team, while Washington State and Iowa made big jumps in the polls.

Washington State, which upset then No. 12 Oregon 34-20, moved up 11 spots in the AP Poll to No. 14 and up eight spots in the Coaches Poll to No. 15.

The Iowa Hawkeyes shut out the Maryland Terrapins at home, winning 23-0. The victory moved the Hawkeyes up one spot in the AP Poll to No. 18 and up four spots in the Coaches Poll to No. 18.

Utah (23), Stanford (24), and Appalachian State (25) all moved into the AP Poll, while Cincinnati (20), Mississippi State (22), and Michigan State (24) all dropped out.

In the FCS Coaches Poll, North Dakota State remains on top with all 26 first-place votes. Kennesaw State, James Madison, Eastern Washington, and Weber State round out the top five.

Below are the full AP Poll, FBS Coaches Poll, and FCS Coaches Poll for Week 9 of the 2018 season:

AP Poll – Week 9

1. Alabama (61)
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. LSU
5. Michigan
6. Texas
7. Georgia
8. Oklahoma
9. Florida
10. UCF
11. Ohio State
12. Kentucky
13. West Virginia
14. Washington State
15. Washington
16. Texas A&M
17. Penn State
18. Iowa
19. Oregon
20. Wisconsin
21. USF
22. NC State
23. Utah
24. Stanford
25. Appalachian State

Dropped from rankings: Cincinnati 20, Mississippi State 22, Michigan State 24

Others receiving votes: Texas Tech 54, Utah State 50, San Diego State 48, Fresno State 35, Miami 34, Virginia 25, Houston 19, Purdue 17, Michigan State 8, Cincinnati 7, Auburn 5, Boston College 2, Mississippi State 2, UAB 1

FBS Coaches Poll – Week 9

1. Alabama (60)
2. Clemson (2)
3. Notre Dame
4. LSU
5. Michigan
6. Georgia
7. Texas
8. Oklahoma
9. Ohio State
10. UCF
11. Florida
12. West Virginia
13. Washington
14. Kentucky
15. Washington State
16. Penn State
17. Texas A&M
18. Iowa
19. Wisconsin
20. USF
21. Oregon
22. NC State
23. Stanford
24. Utah
25. Miami, FL

Dropped from rankings: Cincinnati 21, Colorado 25

Others receiving votes: Appalachian State 78, Utah State 63, San Diego State 62, Houston 30, Cincinnati 30, Fresno State 22, Mississippi State 18, Virginia 17, Auburn 13, Colorado 9, Buffalo 9, Army 8, Duke 8, Texas Tech 8, Purdue 7, UAB 6, South Carolina 5, Virginia Tech 4, Syracuse 3, Georgia Southern 2, Michigan State 1

FCS Coaches Poll – Week 9

1. North Dakota State (26)
2. Kennesaw State
3. James Madison
4. Eastern Washington
5. Weber State
6. Elon
7. Wofford
8. South Dakota State
9. Illinois State
10. Towson
11. Colgate
12. Jacksonville State
13. UC Davis
14. Central Arkansas
15. Stony Brook
16. McNeese
17. Princeton
18. North Carolina A&T
19. Nicholls
20. Dartmouth
21. Delaware
22. Sam Houston State
23. Northern Iowa
24. North Dakota
25. East Tennessee State

Comments (4)

Ranks are perfect except for Ohio Sate. Should have drop from 2 to about 7-8. Not 11,that’s my opinion. I agree with Norte Dame moving up to 3. LSU 4. Michigan 5. Also week 8. Predictions for the playoffs. 1. Norte Dame mabye beacuse there only test is FSU. Vs 4. LSU. A rematch of the game last year. That is beacuse LSU has been playing really well. And a lot of people said 7-5. And I don’t think so. 2. Alabama beacuse of the 50+ points put up a game. But that won’t have in two weeks it never happend since 2015. 3. Clemson. No explanation.
That’s my thought’s.

It seems curious that UCF did not move up even in the AP poll where Ohio State fell below them. I suspect they will be ranked below #10 in the first committee rankings because of bias against the Group of 5 conferences. Watch I suspect that UCF will not rise up the polls if they stay unbeaten.

Congrats to UCF for what they have accomplished the past two years but their schedule is horrific & because they are not in a P5 conference, don’t expect to them to float to far in the top 10.
As for The Ohio State, same thing happened last year when Buckeyes lost the Iowa 55-24, this will once again hurt them when it comes the committees decision at the end of the year if Buckeyes run the table.
Rankings look good, Clemson & Bama seem like they are on another path to play each other.